Some Strictly viewers were left devastated after it was revealed which professionals will not have a celebrity partner and there are no same-sex couples this year.
The BBC show returned with a burst of colour on Saturday after the BBC investigated her training regimes. Amanda Abbington quit Strictly early and later claimed Giovanni Pernice bullied her, claims she denies. The professional has left the programme after nine years and will instead appear in the Italian series of Strictly. Graziano Di Prima was later sacked after it emerged he kicked his celebrity partner Zara McDermott. He told The Daily Mail: “I am not a monster. I don’t behave badly.”
The 2024 Strictly partnerships have been revealed at the launch show. Amy Dowden made her epic return to Strictly, leaving fans in tears after having to sit out the final season in May 2023 as she underwent chemotherapy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Aljaž Škorjanec also made a big return to the show, having previously stepped down to spend time as a stay-at-home dad to daughter Lyra, whom he shares with Janette Manrara.
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It was also a big moment for professional dancers Neil Jones and Nadiya Bychkova, who once again partnered with celebrities for the 20th anniversary series. Jones cheekily joked, “Dad FINALLY found a partner,” along with a sweet photo of her daughter wearing a onesie.
As the pros return to the Strictly spotlight, it means some of the pros who had celebrity partners last year will be missing from the series. Kai Widdrington, Carlos Gu and Lauren Oakley will continue to star on Strictly Come Dancing every week, but this year they won’t be given a celebrity partner. Instead, they will be playing a major role in group routines on the dance floor.
It’s impossible to please everyone when it comes to Strictly partnerships, but do BBC couples ever get it wrong? Write your thoughts in the poll below.
No gay couples
Social media was awash with fans expressing their disappointment that there was no same-sex couple on Strictly this year. Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin narrowly missed out on the Glitterball trophy last year and were one of the most talked about pairings. Among the comments, one person wrote: “So there are no same-sex couples on Strictly this year? Huge disappointment.”
Another wrote: “Strictly has a fantastic record of including disabled people and same-sex dance couples in recent years. One doesn’t have to come at the expense of the other and it has been reported that not continuing with same-sex couples was a deliberate choice. This is a step backwards.”
Another added: “Overall, the pairings are good, but having no gay pairings (even if it’s because someone pulled out) and benching Kai and Carlos is like the producers pouring fuel on the fire. #definitely.”
Kai Widington
Kai Widdrington narrowly missed out on the Strictly 2023 final after dancing with Angela Rippon, the oldest contestant to compete on the show. Earlier this year it was revealed he had split from his colleague and lover Bychkova, who had a celebrity partner this year.
The dancer expressed disappointment at not finding a celebrity partner but remained hopeful that he could find one next year. He told The Daily Star: “Everyone wants to find a celebrity. Unfortunately, this was not my time. In this series, two boys couldn’t find a partner and unfortunately I am one of them. Some of us can’t find a partner and that’s the way it is. Let’s see what happens next year. Hopefully I will find one then.”
But Widdrington proved there was no ill-will over not taking on a professional partner as he praised the 20th anniversary series. “The celebrity line-up this year is amazing. It’s going to be a great series as it always has been,” he added to the newspaper.
Many rushed to share their support for Widdrington on social media under his latest Instagram post, with one writing: “Can’t believe you haven’t had a partner this year.”
Another added: “Shame Kai he definitely doesn’t have a partner this year!”
Another said: “I’m so sad you didn’t have a Strictly partner this year.”
Carlos Gu
Carlos Gu also broke his silence on not taking on a celebrity partner this year. The pro taught Angela Scanlon how to dance last year. He wrote on his Instagram stories: “Thank you all for your messages and support.” His words were followed by four blue hearts.
Underneath her latest Instagram post, Strictly fans shared their disappointment that she didn’t have a bigger role on Strictly this year. One wrote: “I wish you had a partner on SCD this year. I love watching you dance.”
Another said: “It’s definitely sad that you don’t have a partner this year!”
Lauren Oakley
Lauren Oakley has yet to confirm whether she will be getting a celebrity partner this year. She danced with newsreader Krishnan Guru-Murthy on the 2023 series and had a fantastic Strictly experience. Fans shared their disappointment at Oakley not having a partner. One person wrote: “Lauren!!!!! No celebrity partner this year!!! I’m devastated!!!! You’re an amazing dancer!!!!”
Another wrote: “Not having a partner this year is a crime. Absolutely terrible decision.”
Another said: “Lauren was so excited to see you with a partner, you and Kai are amazing, I don’t know what they were thinking.”
How many people watched Strictly?
Strictly’s 2024 launch attracted around a million fewer viewers than last year, with viewership figures showing an average of 5.5 million viewers tuning in to the BBC One show. Viewing figures have fluctuated over the years. It’s worth noting that the number of people watching on BBC iPlayer or catch-up TV has increased, which is not reflected in the overnight figures.